1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to position or location estimations of mobile communication devices and, more particularly, to automatic or, at times, more dynamic handover of one or more positioning parameters from a navigation device to a mobile communication device for use in or with mobile communication devices.
2. Information
Mobile communication devices, such as, for example, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, electronic book readers, portable navigation units, laptop computers, or the like are becoming more common every day. As geographic barriers to personal travel decrease, mobile communication devices play a role in allowing society to maintain its mobility. Continued advancements in information technology, communications, mobile applications, or the like help to contribute to a rapidly growing market for mobile communication devices, which have become ubiquitous and may already be viewed as “extensions of the hand” altering the manner in which society communicates, does business, or creates value.
Certain mobile communication devices may, for example, feature a location-aware capability to assist users in estimating their geographic locations by providing position information obtained or gathered from various systems. For example, a mobile communication device may obtain a location estimate or so-called “position fix” by acquiring wireless signals from a satellite positioning system (SPS), such as the global positioning system (GPS) or other like Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), cellular base station, location beacon, or the like via a cellular telephone or other wireless communications network. Received wireless signals may, for example, be processed by or at a mobile communication device, and its location may be estimated using one or more appropriate techniques, such as, for example, Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT), base station identification, or the like.
Certain location-aware mobile communication devices, such as personal navigation devices (PNDs), for example, may feature a navigation capability so as to assist users in navigating or traveling to a location of interest by providing navigation instructions via a displayed electronic digital map, voice prompts, schematic pictograms, or the like. At times, a PND may comprise, for example, or be a part of an automotive navigation system. For example, an in-vehicle PND may be capable of overlaying its current location over a displayed street map so as to provide a user with a proposed route to a suitable destination along one or more designated or existing streets. An in-vehicle PND may also provide a user with additional context, frame of reference, or the like. For example, a displayed street map may show points of interest, such as gas stations, public parking, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, etc.
At times, an in-vehicle PND may be capable of handling or processing vehicle-related information or functions, such as, for example, driving-related information, safety-related information, entertainment functionalities, or the like. Certain factory-embedded in-vehicle PNDs, however, cannot be taken out of a vehicle or suitably operated as stand-alone devices, such as if a user desires to continue using such a PND while navigating on foot via a pre-planned route, for example. Thus, in some instances, a user may need to restart a positioning or navigation application on another mobile device, manually reenter a current or target location, download a new pedestrian navigation route, or the like. This may, for example, be inconvenient, time-consuming, or error-prone.